Chapter Fourteen

Picnic

"Blooming mo, doc." puna pa sa akin ng assistant ko sa clinic.

Bumaling ako rito at kinunot pa ang noo pero napangiti rin. "Shh! Huwag kang maingay." I smilingly told her.

Hindi naman secret na may relasyon na kami ni Stephen. Marami rin ang nakakakita sa amin dito sa ospital na madalas kaming magkasama. Minsan hindi na rin naiiwasan ang mga panunukso rin ng ilan. Especially those na medyo close na rin sa amin ni Stephen na kasama naming mga doctors din dito sa hospital and some nurses pa, and staff.

Busy rin si Daddy at nagbakasyon pa sila ni Mommy ngayon kaya naman hindi niya rin napansin kami ni Stephen. Anyway, we would tell them soon. Matatanda na rin naman kami ni Stephen at wala nang magbabawal sa amin to date each other. And I think that my father would also like this news. Gusto na niya si Stephen at tinuring pa ito na parang sarili niyang anak noon pa mang mga bata pa kami.

Lumapit naman sa akin ang assistant ko na mukhang gusto pang tsumika. "Hindi ko alam, doc., na magkababata rin pala kayo ni Doctor Guevarra?"

Tumango naman ako at ngumiti. I just feel happy today. Parang wala pa akong problema kahit busy rin sa trabaho. "Oo. Magkaibigan ang mga parents namin." I said.

"Ah. Kaya pala napansin ko rin na parang ang bilis n'yo pang naging close ni Doctor Guevarra kahit dati pa nang bago pa lang siya at dumating dito sa Dela Cuesta Medical."

And I just nodded to my assistant with a smile.

And during lunch break hours ay nagsabay naman muli kami ni Stephen. Binabati pa kami ng ilang mga kasama rin namin sa hospital na mga doctors and nurses. Alam ko na kahit hindi pa namin sabihin it's already obvious that we're together now. Palagi ba naman kaming magkasama at nakikita nila iyon.

And while we have our meal, I talked to Stephen about Shiloh. Concern pa rin talaga ako para sa bata.

"Why don't we go on a date with Shiloh?" I suggested to Stephen. Because now that I know what bothered Shiloh the last time on his birthday and what the kid told Stephen, I just want to involve him in mine and Stephen's relationship. So that he would feel na parte pa rin naman siya ng buhay ni Stephen kahit nandito na ako. At hindi ko naman talaga siya aagawan ng father figure. I also know that it's only Stephen that he has...

Nagkatinginan kami ni Stephen. "Why?" He asked me.

"Wala lang. Uh, baka lang din gustong sumama sa atin ni Shiloh... Kung wala naman siyang pasok sa school... Why don't we go on a picnic together? The three of us!" I enthusiastically said to Stephen.

Napangiti naman siya habang tinitingnan ako. "All right. I'll ask Shiloh to come with us."

"Okay!" I smiled.

So we started planning it. Sakto na may holidays din sa mga unang araw ng susunod na buwan. Kaya wala rin pasok sa school si Shiloh. At pwede kaming mag-leave naman muna ni Stephen. Wala munang check up sa patients and after the holidays na lang. If there's an emergency naman there are other doctors na available din for it. Although we hope and pray na wala lang din munang emergency sa mga patients talaga namin ni Stephen. Kasi for sure ay ipapatawag pa rin kami kahit pa naka-leave. Especially if it's a VIP patient. It's just the life of a doctor for us.

"Look at this. What do you think?" Pinakita ko kay Stephen ang picture ng lugar na pwede naming puntahan kasama si Shiloh na  nasa iPad ko.

"Looks nice." He commented.

I smiled to him. "Right? It's a pretty place. Okay for overnight talaga. And the greenery around the area is good for picnic!"

Stephen just smiled at me while watching me. Ngumiti lang din ako sa kaniya. And I looked at the pictures again on my gadget. Magbobook na rin pala ako. I'll book the place and our whole trip.

"Nga pala, have you already talked to Shiloh about this?"

Tumingin sa akin si Stephen. "Yes." He nodded and smiled at me again.

"Hmm. Okay lang sa kaniya? Wala ba siyang ibang gagawin?" I asked.

"Wala naman." He said.

Tumango na lang ako at ngumiti muli. And then I went back to planning and booking na rin. I already booked the place for us. It's a nice environment and you'll feel closer to nature. I'm excited to go there with Stephen and Shiloh.

And then the day has come. We just rented a bigger car for this trip. Naghintay na lang ako na sinundo nina Stephen at Shiloh sa bahay namin. My parents weren't home yet and were still on their vacation. Hindi naman ako mag-isa sa bahay at nand'yan din naman sina Manang. Maaga lang din akong nagpaalam sa kanila ngayon.

I smiled to Stephen when I saw him getting out of the car. Nilapitan pa niya ako na nakatayo na roon sa labas ng gate namin. Lumabas na ako when I received a message from him na malapit na raw sila ni Shiloh.

"Your parents aren't home yet?" salubong niya sa akin.

"Yes. They're still in their little vacation together. Thanks." I smiled and thanked Stephen after he opened the car's door for me.

Umikot na rin agad papasok sa driver seat si Stephen pagkatapos. Binalingan ko si Shiloh na nasa backseat naman. "Hi, Shiloh." I greeted him and smiled.

"Hi..." He just shortly greeted back and looked out the car's window.

Bumaling na lang din ako sa driver na si Stephen at ngumiti sa kaniya nang balingan niya rin ako bago siya nagsimulang mag-drive na paalis.

I noticed that Shiloh was quiet during our ride. While Stephen would talk to me and I would also answer him.

I'd like to ask Shiloh kung okay lang din ba siya. He was quiet. Pero hinayaan ko na lang din muna siya dahil baka ayaw niya rin pa-istorbo.

The ride was still fun. Medyo mahaba rin ang biniyahe namin and we had turned on some music in the car and we even sang to it. Both Stephen and I. Kasi tahimik pa rin naman si Shiloh sa loob ng sasakyan at sa buong biyahe namin.

And when we finally arrived at the place it was really refreshing. It's like a vacation house that's near to nature. It was relaxing to see. Tapos ay rito pa kami matutulog mamaya.

Originally ay dapat picnic lang naman talaga iyong plano ko with Stephen and Shiloh. But then when I checked online ay medyo malayo rin pala itong place na gusto kong puntahan. And I think we will have just a short time kung day trip lang. kaya naman sa huli ay nauwi na lang din sa overnight ang plano namin. Para hindi naman sayang ang mahabang binyahe din namin.

And if it was just me and Stephen then I wouldn't initiate this overnight trip. Kung kaming dalawa lang ay parang hindi maganda. But since we're with Shiloh I think na okay lang siguro. Anyway, it's a house naman and it has rooms. I would definitely sleep separately from Stephen and Shiloh.

Pagdating ay binaba na rin muna namin ang mga dala namin. We brought food with us and some things that we will be using while we're here. Nagdala kami ng groceries since magluluto rin kami rito.

Maaga pa at ang plano talaga namin ni Stephen ay parang mag breakfast picnic na lang din dito sa labas ng vacation house. And it has a good view pa of the pond in front of the house.

"We also brought some bread and jam." Stephen said.

Tumango naman ako sa kaniya at ngumiti. "Okay. Do you prefer bread for breakfast?" I asked him.

Umiling naman siya sa akin. "Not really. Kung ano lang din ang available, I could eat it. Pero si Shiloh he likes bread and jam for his breakfast, usually." He said.

Napatango naman ako. "Okay." And then I turned to look at Shiloh who was still quiet.

Nilapitan ko na siya habang abala pa si Stephen sa mga dala namin. Tumingin naman sa akin si Shiloh nang makita niya akong lumapit. I gave him a friendly smile. "Hi, Shiloh! Are you okay?" I asked him.

Tumango naman siya. "Yeah." He just said.

"Mabuti naman at napasama ka namin ng tito mo?" I smiled to him.

He looked at me. "He forced me to come here." He sighed.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Ako talaga ang nagyaya na gawin natin itong trip ngayon... Were you busy?"

Tumingin muli siya sa akin. "Not really... It's fine." He said afterwards.

Ngumiti naman ako muli.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you and Tito Stephen's date..." He said after a while. "I didn't really want to come here."

Umiling naman agad ako sa kaniya. "No, no. Of course not." At ngumiti ako. "Masaya nga ako na nakasama ka namin ngayon. I actually suggested that we do this. Kasi gusto rin sana kitang makasama kasama ang tito mo..." I said.

Shiloh looked at me.

I smiled and sighed a bit. "Shiloh..." Nagkatinginan kaming dalawa. "I hope you don't mind that I'm here now... I mean, I'm with Stephen, but that doesn't mean anything would change..." I tried to explain it to him. "I'm just here now, but nothing will change with you and your tito... I know that you're a part of his life. And you will forever be." Bahagya ko muli siyang nginitian, as I was trying to reassure him.

Pagkatapos ay tumango lang naman sa akin si Shiloh. And then we heard Stephen calling for us. Kaya naman pumunta na rin kami pareho ni Shiloh sa kaniya. We helped him set up our little picnic table here outside. At para makapag-breakfast na rin kami.